Meat would become scarce and its price would rise exponentially if foot and mouth disease took hold, but farmers would bear the full brunt of the social and economic fallouts, says Tasmania's peak agricultural organisation.
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Holidaymakers from Indonesia, including Bali, are being warned to take extra precautions when arriving into Tasmania, as foot mats are introduced into the state's airports to keep foot and mouth disease at bay.
The preventative tool arrives as awareness about the catastrophic impacts of foot and mouth disease continues to be raised.
There is an estimated 12 per cent risk of it entering Australia.
Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association president Ian Sauer said if the disease were detected and spread, huge numbers of livestock would be slaughtered, leading to higher meat prices.
He said herd numbers could take years to rebuild.
"If it were found in Australia there would be a huge restriction on the movement of livestock, and in those early days, huge numbers of livestock would need to be slaughtered," Mr Sauer said.
"So meat supplies would become very, very slim indeed. The price of meat, including beef, pork, and lamb, would go up, and that is only if you could get it."
Mr Sauer said it was not just farmers that would feel the impact.
"If it hits Australia everyone is going to feel the pain. The community are going to feel it through their hip pockets, and there will be huge social and economic impacts, with the farming community bearing the enormous brunt of it," he said.
"We don't want to scare people but we want them to be really aware, and to think seriously about what they are doing when they come back from Indonesia. It is not worth the risk."
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Mr Sauer welcomed the arrival of the new biosecurity foot mats at the state's domestic air and sea ports, and described them as "another tool in the armoury" against foot and mouth.
"It is another prompt. The foot mats will prompt travellers to think very, very clearly about the ramifications if foot and mouth came into Tasmania."
"The mats are simple, safe and nonintrusive, with the entire process, including the interaction with our Biosecurity Officers, taking only a few moments...I urge every traveller to follow biosecurity instructions and work with our border staff to keep Tasmania safe," she said.
"Foot and mouth disease can live for long periods on clothing, shoes and equipment, so it is important travellers clean these items thoroughly before returning home to Australia, especially if they have visited farms or rural areas of Indonesia."
